


A King for A Day

by The_PrincessCat



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Chess Metaphors, Gen, King Ardyn Izunia, Lucis in termoil, Mad King, No happy endings, Noctis in chains, Still at War, prisoners of war, what if
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:15:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29810373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_PrincessCat/pseuds/The_PrincessCat
Summary: Ardyn sits upon the thrown of Lucis and everything seems perfectly fine. Or does it? The city smiles to Ardyn's face but talks of usurping behind it. Yet, Ardyn finds all this more entertaining than not.After all he is King, if only for a day ...
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	A King for A Day

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for the Ardyn Zine meant to go on sale in 2021. However .... Well. Here it is anyway.

Ardyn could feel all the eyes on him. At each frown, each whispered comment, the grin on his lips grew wider. It was food, the playful quips and the jeers the citizens of Lucis had for him. Ardyn took it all in. After all, he was the King, and what good was a King who couldn’t handle a little slander every now and again? 

The fresh Insomnian air was a wonder on lungs kept too long in the crypt Somnus had made for him. No. Bahamut had helped shackle his powers, had made him immortal. Somnus had simply been a pawn for the Astrals. As they all had been. 

The Citadel shone brightly ahead of him. The Crystal’s magic still rejected him, but the barrier was no longer needed now that Ardyn was working with Niflheim to join Eos together. The Crystal now only shimmered maliciously between the two tall spires. 

It was a beautiful day. 

The glory Ardyn had felt when he had taken the throne had been unlike anything he had thought he could feel. Thousands of years of pain and agony to finally be recognized for what he was, the true blood of Lucis. Somnus’s false claims were laid forth for all to see. Everything else was left behind him.

The crisp morning air was cut short when the large double doors to the Citadel closed shut behind him. Natural light was cut by the white artificial lights overhead. Even still, the large open space was inviting, unlike his previous prison. 

“Majesty?” Ardyn’s head turned to see his nephew standing off to the side of the throne room he had just entered. The wide smile on his lips grew as he looked the young boy up and down. He was eighteen, and just so young and innocent. 

“What would you like dear boy?” Ardyn’s smirk didn’t change as he moved to the throne. It had not been as comfortable as he had imagined it to be, padded cushions or not. Yet, it was still his, and he would take it.

“I was wondering,” As Noctis followed behind the chains around his ankles clattered and echoed through the room. It was music to Ardyn’s ears. “Maybe I could leave the Citadel today? Or see my friends?”

Ardyn felt a laugh raise in his chest as he turned. His arms flourished wide at the room at large. “Nonsense! I wouldn’t want you to get any ideas about starting a coup! Oh no, dear boy. There are still many in Eos who believe your claim to the throne valid. No. 

“And those friends of yours-” Shaking his head disapprovingly, Ardyn bridged the space between them faster than seemed possible. “Tisk tisk. No. I believe they may be more problematic than I first believed. I have Besithia working his magic in  _ that  _ department.”

Noctis visibly tore himself away when Ardyn placed his fingers below his chin. It only made the smile on his lips wider. “I do think I would like a cold glass of Lucis’s bubbliest Champagne, though!”

“As you wish.” The spite in the young, ex-prince's, voice rang among the Crownsguard and MTs alike. “ _ Your Majesty _ .” 

There was a flourish to his step, each stair taken in threes as Ardyn almost flew to the throne. With an audible ‘pop’, he placed himself upon the chair. 

“I would like my game.” Ardyn shifted in his seat as he flicked his wrist at the nearest attendant, who promptly bowed and disappeared. Lazily, the Adagium tossed his legs over the armrest, and gazed down at the obedient subjects below.

Just as Noctis reappeared with a bottle and a single glass, so too did the attendant. However, the large table was carried by four different people, and the strain on their faces was visible as they struggled up the steps. 

No one stepped in to help, but the murmuring between those assembled was a musical, low hum. More rumors to fuel the fire. 

“Right there, ah yes. Perfect.” Ardyn smirked as he watched his great nephew pouring the light pink liquid into the crystal clear chalice. “Now leave me. All of you.” 

The flourishing dismissal was acknowledged immediately with the billowing of stiff clothing. Only when Ardyn was alone did he turn his attention to the board before him. 

The solid white marble was speckled with black, shimmering in the natural light that constantly flooded the room. On the flat surface, the board was checkered, white tiles alternating with black. A large box sat to one side of Ardyn’s throne, and as he sipped the sweet liquid, he pulled the carved figures from their rest. Chess pieces found their places; familiar figures carved into marble. Aldercapt as the black king, Besithia as his rook. Ardyn as the white king, and Noctis as a pawn. 

Yet, as Ardyn set up the board, the white and black pieces mingled, both Kings to one side, while many of the pawns and rooks lay to the other side. The game, obviously unbalanced, was only set when the last piece was placed in his opposition. “Now, now. How to win a game where the sides are so unevenly matched?”

The small noise of a side door opening filled the chamber. Footsteps echoed as a single MT soldier approached, holding a cell phone in its armored hands. “Majesty?”

“Didn’t I ask to be left alone while I play my game?” Ardyn asked lazily, his free hand tossed in the air as a sign of dismissal. The King lounged in a cat like gesture as he sipped at the crystal chalice.

“Yes, Majesty.” The MT stood statue still, the mechanical voice from behind the face plate muffled and distant. “It is Besithia. He wishes to speak.”

“Must it be now?” Ardyn yawned, bored from the conversation that had yet to happen. 

“He insisted.” 

“Fine.” Ardyn shifted, sitting straight in his chair and balancing the wine tumbler on the edge of the board game. He gestured for the large phone, and placed it to his ear. 

“Izunia.” The static crackled from the other end.

“It's Caelum, now.” Ardyn’s fingers moved to the black king, toying with the heavy piece as he spoke. 

“Fine. Ardyn.” There was a shortness to the way Besithia spoke, and Ardyn was unsure about it. “Have you been able to use the Crystal’s power, yet?”

_ This again. _ “No. I am still not recognized by the dead gods. Why do you need the Crystal, anyway.”

“Use that nephew of yours or send him and the Crystal to us-”

“No. I think not.” Ardyn sat up straight and looked out the large bay windows to the side of the throne. In the distance there was a leaping purple light, just outside of Insomnia’s walls. “You and yours can stay put and I will continue to rule my kingdom. That was the deal.”

“The deal was your throne for the Crystal’s magic.”

Ardyn was silent for a moment, his eyes looking at the magical fissure his last attempt at breaching the Crystal’s magic had caused. The world was broken, and it was the gods’ fault. “The magic is beyond your reach. It is beyond all our reach. My advice? Stay far away and look elsewhere for that eternal draft you seek.” 

Ardyn depressed the red call button, the line fizzing to silence. In his other hand, the black king rested. Taking a deep breath, Ardyn turned back to the board game. The black king found his way to the center of the board. 

“I think, dear Emperor, it is time we dealt with you.” Ardyn let out a chuckle as he carelessly toppled over the piece. “You and your silly ideology. What good is immortality, anyway? After all, one is only ever king… for a single day.”

**Author's Note:**

> I based a lot of the feeling of this fiction off of the song 'King for A Day' by Battle Beast, and also named the title of the fiction for it as well.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it and I would love to see all those kudos and comments! I will respond to all of them! Thank you so much and walk tall my friends.


End file.
